Implementing the South African Free Basic
Alternative Energy Policy
Nthabi Mohlakoana
Map of SA provinces and location of the OR Tambo
District
Map of local municipalities under OR Tambo District
Total area: 11 064 km2
Remote, rural and difficult to reach
No access to grid electricity
- 15% of the population have no access to grid electricity, live mostly in the remote
rural areas and use traditional energy sources AND, they are the poorest;
- Most households in these areas depend on govt. social grants and subsidies
Percentage of households using different energy
sources for lighting
Percentage of households using different energy
sources for cooking
What is Free Basic Alternative Energy (FBAE) policy?
 FBAE is a policy developed and published in 2007 by the
Department of Energy
 Why?: To alleviate energy poverty in low-income remote rural and
urban households without grid electricity
 How?: Provision of alternative energy services: Paraffin, LPG,
plant-based gel fuel, SHS maintenance, coal, efficient wood
stoves
 Implementation is partly funded by national government
 Local government is responsible for implementation (delivery of
alternative energy sources to households)
Main Actors
 Public: Government: 3 spheres – National (policy making);
Provincial (monitoring and capacity building); local (policy
implementation)
 Public: Communities and Households – energy consumers
 Private: Energy distributors – Kerosene and RETs
companies
Research questions
Main question:
How do actors influence the FBAE policy implementation process in
the local municipal areas under the OR Tambo District?
Secondary question:
How do contextual factors influence the implementation of the FBAE
policy?
Using the Contextual Interaction Theory for
analysis
Source: Bressers (2009)
An example of using CIT on the
Noqhekwana case
Source: Bressers (2009)
Adding the 3rd Actor
 Most significant outcome – showing the importance of the linking
actor in a policy process.
Study conclusions
 Actors influence the FBAE policy implementation
process in a complex manner depending on specific
circumstances
 Actor motivations, cognitions and resources influence
the implementation process
 Contextual factors such as the geographical location,
multi-level governance and politics
 Using CIT has enabled an out-of-the-box approach to
show that policy implementation failure should not be
attributed only to lack of funds or the presence of
corruption
THANK YOU
[email protected]
CSTM